PE Weekly: Consumers Return to PE Focus with Entertainment, Beverage Deals

Platform Investments

HarbourView Equity Backs Issa Rae’s ColorCreative. ColorCreative, a management and production company cofounded by actress Issa Rae, has struck a partnership with Harbourview Equity Partners. ColorCreative said it would use the investment to “expand its talent representation and production capabilities while also accelerating the creation and ownership of original content,” according to reports.

Orangewood Partners Expands Ownership of Motley 7 Brew. Orangewood Partners announced recently that it has made an additional investment in portfolio company Motley 7 Brew, a 7 Brew franchisee. Part of the Anchor Point Management Group family of companies, 7 Brew Coffee is a drive-thru beverage chain.

Thompson Street Acquires Bubbakoo’s Burritos. Thompson Street Capital Partners has acquired Bubbakoo’s Burritos, a New Jersey franchisor of fast-casual Mexican-fusion restaurants. In its announcement, the private equity firm noted fast-casual is outperforming other foodservice segments of the market.

Turnspire Recapitalizes USG Water Solutions. Turnspire Capital Partners announced this week its recapitalization of USG Water Solutions, with funding used to repay USG’s prior debt and diversify its service offerings. Turnspire acquired USG in 2023.

Add-Ons

Providence Equity’s 365 Retail to Take Cantaloupe Private. Cantaloupe, a publicly listed technology provider for self-service commerce businesses, announced this week it reached an agreement to be acquired by 365 Retail Markets. 365, an unattended retail technology solution provider, is backed by Providence Equity Partners.

Argosy’s Aerial Acquires Hazard Protection Systems. Argosy Private Equity portfolio company Aerial Machine & Tool has completed its acquisition of Hazard Protection Systems, according to a recent press release. Hazard Protection provides fire suppression solutions for military, industrial and commercial vehicles.

OMERS Private Equity’s Integris Acquires TechMD. Integris, a managed services provider backed by OMERS Private Equity, has acquired TechMD and its security division 1nteger Security. The investment expands Integris’ service offering to support small and midsize business digitization, a press release noted.

New Water’s Nelson Miller Group Acquires New England Keyboard. Nelson Miller Group, an engineering, manufacturing and supply chain solutions provider to OEMs across medical, aerospace and industrial end-markets, has acquired New England Keyboard. The company manufactures highly engineered components for customers across defense, medical and other sectors. Nelson Miller is a portfolio company of New Water Capital Partners.

Go Capital- and Station Partners-Backed Arketi Acquires Audacity. Arketi Group, a digital marketing and public relations agency servicing B2B technology companies, announced this week its acquisition of Audacity, an internal communications consultancy. Arketi is backed by Go Capital and Station Partners.

Strategics

Renovus’ SolomonEdwards Launches PE Services Platform. SolomonEdwards, backed by Renovus Capital Partners, has announced its acquisition of Pencek Advisors, a private equity portfolio company consultancy. The investment launches SolomonEdwards’ Private Equity Services platform, which aims to support middle-market PE firms and their portfolio companies.

Exits

Aquiline, Capstreet Exit Ontellus to Datavant. Health data platform company Datavant, backed by New Mountain Capital, has acquired Ontellus, a provider of health records retrieval and claims intelligence. Ontellus was previously sponsored by private investment firm Aquiline and lower middle-market private equity firm Capstreet.

Audax Exits CW Advisors. Audax Private Equity has announced the sale of CW Advisors, a registered investment advisor. Reverence Capital Partners-backed Osaic will acquire the company for an undisclosed sum.

Audax Exits Thermogenics. Audax Private Equity has also exited Thermogenics, a recent announcement said. The company, which provides industrial boiler services, was acquired by Morgan Stanley Capital Partners.

Clearview Capital Exits Results Partners. Clearview Capital has sold Results Partners, an outsourced vineyard management and development services provider operating in Oregon and Washington. The company operated as a standalone subsidiary of Wilson OVS Holding Company alongside Orchard and Vineyard Supply, noted a press release provided to Middle Market Growth.

Middle Market Growth is produced by the Association for Corporate Growth. To learn more about the organization and how to become a member, visit www.acg.org.